March 18, 2003
FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason snapped a seven-game losing skid with a 7-0 blanking of Morgan State in women's tennis Tuesday afternoon at the GMU Tennis Courts. The Patriots improve to 2-7 on the season.
George Mason claimed the doubles point, winning at No. 2 and earning a forfeit victory at No. 3. The #1 tandem of senior Dinali DeSilva (Negombo, Sri Lanka/Stafford International) and sophomore Katie Sloper (Alexandria, VA/Bishop Ireton), teaming together for the first time this season, led 5-4 and 7-4, needing only one more point to clinch the match. However, the Bears' No. 1 duo of Dailey Roberts and Cynthia Craig rallied to win the next five points to earn a 9-7 win and prevented the doubles sweep. At No. 2 doubles, the team of freshmen Jenn Dektas (Maineville, OH/Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) and Kelly Melichar (Burke, VA/Lake Braddock) trailed 3-0 to open the match, but came from behind to record an 8-5 win. Junior Deepti Bhalla (Lorton, VA/Hayfield) and freshman Caroline Kanaskie (West Chester, PA/Unionville) tallied the forfeit win for Mason at #3.
The Patriots notched victories in all six singles matches, and Melichar, who had been "under the weather" the entire contest, rallied from being down 4-6 in the first set to win 6-4 in the second and 10-5 in the super tiebreak at No. 3, clinching the singles sweep for Mason. DeSilva and Dektas won at #1 and #2 singles, respectively, in straight sets, while Sloper and Bhalla also earned straight set wins at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. Freshman Kathleen Moore (Franklin, VA/Franklin) notched the Patriots' forfeit win at No. 6.
George Mason heads out of town for two straight CAA matchups against Delaware Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and Hofstra Sunday at 10 a.m.
MORGAN STATE 0
GEORGE MASON 7
(3/18/03, GMU Tennis Courts, Fairfax, VA)
Singles
1. Dinali DeSilva (GM) d. Dailey Roberts, 6-2, 6-0
2. Jenn Dektas (GM) d. Cynthia Craig, 6-2, 6-1
3. Kelly Melichar (GM) d. Mikita Johnson, 4-6, 6-4, (10-5)
4. Katie Sloper (GM) d. Tiffany Hampton, 6-1, 6-1
5. Deepti Bhalla (GM) d. Yanacia Rose, 6-1, 6-4
6. Kathleen Moore (GM) wins by forfeit
Doubles
1. Roberts/Craig d. DeSilva/Sloper (GM), 9-7
2. Dektas/Melichar (GM) d. Johnson/Hampton, 8-5
3. Bhalla/Kanaskie (GM) wins by forfeit
